The Patriots have gone to seven Super Bowls and have won three. Their first Super Bowl trip was in 1985 against the Chicago Bears, which they lost 42 - 10. In 1995 the Patriots made their second Super Bowl trip but fell short against the Green Bay Packers in a 35 - 21 loss. The Patriots' 2001 season ended in the team's first Super Bowl triumph when they defeated the heavily favored St. Louis Rams in a dramatic 21-17 victory. In 2003 and 2004, the Patriots once again were NFL Champions with Super Bowl victories over the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles.

In 2008 the Patriots had the chance to become the first team to go 19-0 and the second team to go undefeated in a regular and post season. However, their run came to an end at 18-0 when they lost 17-14 to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII.

Team History

In the Patriots history as a team they have experienced both sides of being an National Football League team - the losing - and the winning. In their early history as a team, the Patriots struggled just to get a winning record. Between the years 1960 and 1984 the team only made the playoffs four times, and only won one playoff game. The winds of fortunes seemed to be turning for the Patriots in 1985 though when for the first time in the teams history the Patriots won a AFC Championship Game and played in Super Bowl XX vs the Chicago Bears. The Patriots lost the game though and for the next eight years, without a solid, reliable quarterback, the team regressed into their pre-1985 form.

In 1993, the Patriots drafted with the first pick of the 1993 NFL Draft, University of Washington star quarterback, Drew Bledsoe. With Bledsoe now leading the team, the Patriots improved significantly and in 1996 the Patriots returned to the Super Bowl (Super Bowl XXXI vs the Green Bay Packers). Once again the Patriots lost but they didn't fall apart as a team and they continued to be a playoff contender throughout the late 1990's.

In 2000, the history of the Patriots quietly changed forever when Bill Belichick was appointed as the head coach and the Patriots drafted University of Michigan quarterback Tom Brady in the 6th round of the NFL Draft. The following year, 2001, Tom Brady became the Patriots starting quarterback and led the Patriots to their first Super Bowl victory. Since 2001, the Patriots have been in the playoffs all but one year (2002, 9-7 record) and have won two more Super Bowls. The 2004-2005 Patriots teams also set a NFL record for most consecutive game won with 26 in a row.

In 2007, the Patriots became only the second team in NFL history to win all sixteen of their regular-season games (the first being the 1972 Miami Dolphins).

Spying Incident

In the Patriots 2007 regular season opener vs the New York Jets, a Patriots employee, video assistant Matt Estrella, was caught video taping New York Jets defensive signals during the first quarter of the game.[1] NFL security officials at the game confiscated Estrella's video camera and the video tape and sent it to the leagues headquarters to determine whether the Patriots were violating the NFL's videotaping policy.[2] Days after the incident, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick apologized for the episode stating "I want to apologize to everyone who has been affected, most of all ownership, staff and players."[3]

After a review of the video tape by the NFL's competition committee and commissioner Roger Goodell, Bill Belichick was fined 500,000 dollars and the Patriots organization 250,000 dollars. The leagues verdict also stated the the Patriots would forfeit their 2008 NFL Draft first round pick if they made the playoffs in 2007, and if they failed to make the playoffs, their 2008 second and third round choices.[4]

Patriots head coach, Bill Belichick was fined $500,000 for his role in the sideline spying incident.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wrote in his ruling, "This episode represents a calculated and deliberate attempt to avoid longstanding rules designed to encourage fair play and promote honest competition on the playing field. I specifically considered whether to impose a suspension on Coach Belichick. I have determined not to do so, largely because I believe that the discipline I
am imposing of a maximum fine and forfeiture of a first-round draft choice, or multiple draft choices, is in fact more significant and long-lasting, and therefore more effective, than a suspension."[5]

Belichick responded to the leagues verdict in a written statement that he accepted full responsibility for the incident and that he had been incorrect in his interpretation of the NFL's rules regarding sideline video taping.[6]

Past Alleged Patriots Spying Incidents

After the incident became public, some NFL players and coaches stated that they believed that the Patriots may have used the same type of taping methods vs their teams. The only confirmed time that it actually happened however was on November 19, 2006, in a game between the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers. The Packers claimed that during the game they had caught the same Patriots video assistant as in the Jets game, Matt Estrella, video taping the Packers coaches making defensive signals from the Patriots sideline[7]. Packers security staff removed Estrella and his camera from the sideline but did not did not file a complaint over the taping because according to a Green Bay official, "everyone does it".[8]

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Hines Ward, stated that he believed that the Patriots may have used the NFL violating taping methods against the Steelers in the 2002 and 2004 AFC Championship games. Ward said regarding the 2002 Championship game, "They knew a lot of our calls. There’s no question some of their players were calling out some of our stuff."[9]